Filter muffler



Nov. 7, 1967 H. D. BOWMAN 3,350,877

FILTER MUFFLER Filed 001;. 6, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3-4 FIG. 2 18 INVENTOR.

Hyman D. Bowman ATTORNEY Nov. 7, 1967 H. D. BOWMAN 3,350,877

FILTER MUFFLER Filed Oct. 6, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Hyman D. Bowman AT TORNEY United States Patent Ofifice 3,356,877 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 3,350,877 FILTER MUFFLER Hyman D. Bowman, Box 735, Raleigh, N.C. 27602 Filed Oct. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 493,453 3 Claims. (Cl. 60--30) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE A filter mufiier having a cylindrical housing connected to an automotive exhaust pipe utilizes a plurality of axially aligned perforated discs, a selected number of which are partially submerged in a liquid, which rotate in the housing to associate the liquid with the exhaust gases as the exhaust gases pass through the disc perforations. The harmful exhaust gases are absorbed by the liquid to allow the inert combustion gases to pass into the atmosphere and the explosions of combusting are dissipated in the housing.

This invention relates generally to a combination silencer and filter device and, more particularly, to a filter mu'filer for use on exhaust pipes of motor vehicles for both silencing the explosive noises produced thereby and for preventing the harmful particles of combustion from escaping into the atmosphere.

In the past, various types of devices have been developed to treat the exhaust fumes of automobiles so that the dangerous or undesirable fumes of combustion will not be allowed to enter the atmosphere. These devices have also been combined with mufflers or silencers. Under certain meterological conditions, the exhaust gases of motor vehicles when discharged into the atmosphere combine therewith to form what is commonly called smog. In large cities, where smog has a tendency to accumulate it can become a health hazard. Filters for exhaust gas willtend to remove some smog forming elements but the ones currently in use are of a compact nature thereby obstructing the flow of the exhaust fumes and cause a back pressure on the exhaust ports of an engine which results in a reduction of the power and eificiency thereof.

Therefore, a principal object of this invention is to provide a muifier for connection with an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine which, in addition to silencing the exhaust noises, will remove a substantial amount of the harmful elements found in the exhaust gases without interfering with engine performance.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for removing the heat from the exhaust gases while filtering the same.

A further object of this invention is to provide a filter muffler apparatus with a draft inducing means which forces the exhaust gases continuously through the filtering elements of the apparatus.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a combination muffier and filter which removes the impurities from the exhaust gases by associating a liquid therewith.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a combination muffier and filter which can be easily attached to an automobile tailpipe and which will operate reliably for long periods of time.

Other objects an advantages of this invention will become apparent from a detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial cut away view of the first embodiment of the apparatus showing the various working elements comprising the same;

FIGURE 2 is a sectioned view in elevation taken along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1 showing the assembled device;

FIGURE 3 is a sectioned view in elevation taken along lines 33 of FIGURE 2 showing the porous discs used for filtering the exhaust gases;

FIGURE 4 is a sectioned view in elevation taken along lines 44 of FIGURE 2 showing a partition plate in the upper portion of a porous disc;

FIGURE 5 is a pictorial cut away view of a second embodiment of the invention showing the various elements comprising the same;

FIGURE 6 is a sectioned view in elevation taken along lines 66 of FIGURE 5 showing the arrangements of elements comprising the device;

FIGURE 7 is a sectioned view in elevation taken along lines 7-7 of FIGURE 6 showing a separation partition and a portion of a rotating drum; and

FIGURE 8 is a sectioned view in elevation taken along lines 8-8 of FIGURE 6 showing the front end of a rotating drum.

According to this invention, an elongated cylindrical housing is connected to an exhaust pipe which extends from an internal combustion engine by means of an inlet and an outlet passageway which are respectively located in the ends of the housing. The housing is provided with an electric motor which is rigidly mounted therein and which supplies a rotating force to a shaft which extends lengthwise through the housing and parallel to the axis thereof. The shaft is adapted to turn a draft inducing propeller and also to turn air filtering means. A partition having an opening therein is mounted in the housing per- 5 pendicular to the axis thereof; the partition functions to divide the housing into a first and a second chamber. The air filtering means which is rigidly mounted on the shaft is located in the first chamber adjacent the inlet passageway and is adapted to substantially fill the same. The first chamber is adapted to receive a liquid which partially fills the same and which continuously bathes a part of the rotating filter means. As the filter means rotates in the liquid bath, portions thereof are wetted with a thin film of liquid while the remaining exposed portions are associated with the incoming exhaust gases to remove the harmful impurities contained thereby. After the liquid which clings to the filter means has contacted and absorbed the harmful impurities which are carried by the incoming exhaust gases, it is removed from the filter means and is again submerged in the liquid bath to receive a fresh coating of liquid. It is contemplated that the liquid comprising the bath may be circulated through a filter which is disposed from the housing and which removes the impurities from the liquid thereby allowing the same to be recirculated to the liquid bath in the housing. It is also to be noted that the filter means acts as a silencer and mufiies the noises which are produced by the engine upon the combustion of the fuel. It is contemplated that the rotating filter may be of many types, two of which are disclosed by this invention and variations of the same are considered to be within the scope of this invention.

This invention is illustrated in connection with the acconip .nying drawings in which the figures are illustrative of the preferred embodiments of the invention.

The first embodiment of this invention contemplates using a cylindrical, elongated housing It) to receive the various components of this invention. The cylindrical housing 11 is comprised of a cylindrical wall 11 which is enclosed at the front end by a front wall 12 and at the back end by :a rear wall 13. Walls 12 and 13 are mounted perpendicular to the central axis of cylindrical wall 11. Front wall 12 includes a cylindrical inlet port 14 which has a passageway 15 which transfers the incoming exhaust gases from the tailpipe (not shown) into the cavity portions of housing 10. Rear wall 13 has rigidly mounted therein a cylindrical outlet sleeve 16 which has an air passageway 17 that serves as a conduit through which the filtered exhaust gases pass out of housing and into a tailpipe section (not shown) which empties the gases into the atmosphere. It is contemplated that inlet port 14- and exhaust outlet 16 have the rigidity to support housing 10 so that the invention may be installed by removing a length of exhaust pipe and by inserting housing 10 in the place thereof. Since the exhaust gases entering housing 10 are generally extremely hot, housing 10 is provided with a plurality of externally mounted cooling fins 13 which extend circumferentially around a portion of the periphery thereof. By cooling the exhaust gases entering housing 10, fins 18 also tend to reduce the back pressure on the exhaust ports of the engine thereby increasing the efficiency and power of the engine.

An elongated shaft 20 which is concentrically mounted in housing 10 is journaled in bearings 21 and 22 which are respectively mounted in front wall 12 and rear wall 13. Shaft 20 is rotated by a motor 25 which is directly connected thereto and which is mounted on a motor support plate 26; motor support plate 26 is rigidly secured to housing 10 by bolts 27. Motor 25 is energized by an electric current which is provided by a standard battery mounted in the vehicle (not shown).

A propeller 30 is rigidly mounted on shaft 20 and includes blade 31. The diameter of blade 31 is substantially equal to the inner diameter of circular wall 11; therefore, when propeller 30 is rotated by motor 25, a negative pressure is created in housing 10 on the inlet side of propeller 30 and a positive pressure is created in housing 10 on the outlet side of propeller 311. Such a pressure differential causes the exhaust gases from the engine to blow through inlet port 14 into housing 10 and out through exhaust outlet 16. Motor 25 should be heat resistive.

A pair of semicircular shaped bafiie plate 35 and 36 are located in the lower portions of housing 10 and have a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of circular wall 11. Bafile plate 36 partitions housing 10 into a first chamber 38 and a second chamber 28. Bafiie plates 35 and 36 have their peripheries rigidly mounted on and contiguous with a portion of circular housing 11 and baffle plate 36 divides first chamber 38 into liquid tight compartments 42 and 43. The first compartment 42 is comprised of bafile 35 and a portion of front wall 12 and is adapted to receive a liquid 37 which is operable to extract the harmful elements contained by the exhaust gases entering housing 10. First compartment 42 is provided with a plug 39 which is threadably mounted in the lower portions of cylindrical wall 11 to permit the drainage of liquid 37 therefrom. Second compartment 43 is defined by bafi le plates 35 and 36 and at the lower extremity by circular wall 11. Second compartment 43 serves as a receptacle for receiving any excess liquid which spills from first compartment 42 and is also provided with a plug 46 which is adapted to permit the drainage of the escaped liquid. A fiat plate 41 is securely fastened to balfies 36 and 35 and extends from bafile 36 to front wall 12. Flat plate 41 extends the width of housing 11 and is parallel with the axis thereof and the surface level of liquid 37. A plurality of laterally extending and parallel slots 44 are located in fiat plate 4-1.

Concentrically and rigidly mounted on shaft 20 are a plurality of perforated discs 45 which are perpendicular to the axis of circular housing 11 and are located in slots 44 of flat plate 41. A selected number of perforated discs 45 are mounted so as to be received by first compartment 42 and submerged in liquid 37. The remainder of perforated discs 45 are located in second compartment 43. The periphery of each perforated discs 45 resides in a circular traveler 47 which aligns the same and prohibits the exhaust gases from blowing around the peripheral edges of perforated discs 45.

In operation, after the housing has been inserted in the exhaust tailpipe, motor 25 is actuated when the ignition system of the automobile is energized. By energizing motor 25, shaft 20 is caused to be rotated about its axis thereby rotating propeller 30 and perforated discs 45. Propeller 30 causes the exhaust gases to be induced through the perforations of perforated discs 45 whereupon it contacts the liquid which clings to and resides in said perforations and the harmful residue products of combustion are absorbed thereby. After liquid 37 clinging to discs 45 has absorbed these harmful products of combustion, the perforated discs 45 pass between a pair of laterally extending wiper blades 48 and 49 which wipe the perforated discs 45 free of any film liquid which may have remained on the surface thereof and discs 45 again are submerged in liquid 37. Each perforated disc is provided with a pair of wiper blades 48 and 49. When the liquid bath 37 becomes substantially saturated with the residue products, the same may be drained away by removing plug 39 and refilled. After the exhaust gases have passed through each of the perforated discs which reside in first compartment 42, the gases pass into an area comprising the second compartment 43. Perforated discs 45 which reside in second compartment 43 also serve to dis sipate the noise producing vibrations in the gas as well as to collect any liquid droplets which may be suspended by the incoming gases. The liquid droplets which may collect on the perforated discs in second compartment 43 are wiped free thereof by wiper blades 48 and 49 which pinch each disc and the droplets collect in the bottom of second chamber 43 where the same is removed by dislodging plug 46. After the gases have passed through the perforations of the last spaced perforated disc 45, it then passes through passageway 17 and into the atmosphere through the remainder of the exhaust pipe.

The second embodiment of this invention is characterized by an elongated cylindrical housing which is comprised of an elongated cylindrical housing 6% which is comprised of an elongated cylindrical housing wall 61 which has a front wall 62 perpendicularly mounted with respect to the axis thereof and a rear wall 63 also perpendicularly mounted with respect to the housing axis. Front wall 62 has located in upper portions thereof an inlet port 64 which has a passageway 65 for providing ingress into housing 60. Inlet port 64 is connected to an exhaust pipe (not shown) and is in communication with the exhaust manifolds of an engine. Rear wall 63 has an exhaust port 66 mounted in the upper portions thereof which has a passageway 67 serving as a conduit to convey the exhaust gases from housing 60 to an exhaust pipe (not shown). Cylindrical wall 61 is provided with cooling fins 68 which function similar to the cooling fins of the first embodiment.

Housing 60 is divided into a first chamber 69 and a second chamber 70 by means of a bulkhead 71 which is mounted in cylindrical housing wall 61 and is perpendicular to the axis thereof. Bulkhead 71 is provided with an opening 94 and with a peripheral flange 72 which is substantially the same size as the inner diameter of cylindrical housing wall 61 thereby when the same is rigidly positioned therein it functions as a liquid proof barrier. A motor 73 is mounted in second chamber 70 and has wires 74 extending therefrom to a battery (not shown). Motor 73 is adapted to turn a shaft 75 by means of a belt and pulley arrangement 76. Shaft 75 is parallel to the axis of cylindrical housing wall 61 but spaced in a perpendicular plane immediately below the same and is journaled in bearings 77 and 78 which respectively reside in rear housing wall 63 and bulkhead 71 and extends therethrough into first chamber 69. An elongated collar 80 is rigidly cantilevered from front wall 62 and has a common axis with shaft 75. The end portion of shaft 75 which resides in first chamber 69 is rotatably received by collar 80 and is journaled in bearing 81 which is internally mounted in collar 80.

First chamber 69 is provided with a cylindrical and perforated drum 82 being smaller in diameter than cylinder wall 61 and has an axis which coincides with that of shaft 75 and collar 80. Perforated drum 82 has a front solid wall 83 which is journaled on bearings 84 which is rigidly mounted on collar 80 and has a rear perforated wall 85 which is securely mounted on shaft 75 thereby imparting a turning motion to drum 82 when shaft 75 is rotated by motor 73. First chamber 69 is partially filled with a fluid 86. Fluid 86 wets drum 82 and forms a thin film thereon. When the portions of drum 82 that have previously been submerged are rotated out of submersion with liquid 86, the thin film which clings on the surface thereof and in the perforation becomes associated with the incoming exhaust gases from the engine and absorbs the harmful particles which are suspended therein.

In order to maintain liquid 86 at a substantially horizontal level in first chamber 69, a fiat plate 90 is rigidly mounted on collar 80 by screws 91. Flat plate 90 is substantially rectangular and has a width slightly less than the diameter of rotating drum 82. On a laterally extending edge of flat plate 90 which is substantially adjacent the cylindrical perforated wall of drum 82, a wiper blade 92 is mounted which coacts with a disposed Wiper blade 99 that is mounted on the surface of cylinder wall 61 so that as drum 82 turns, the layer of fluid which clings thereto and which has received gaseous impurities from the exhaust gases is wiped free from the drum and permits a clean boundary layer to be applied thereto as the same continues to rotate through liquid 86.

To induce a draft through housing 60 thereby creating positive and negative pressures as was illustrated in the first embodiment, a propeller 93 is positioned in second chamber 70 substantially adjacent opening 94 in bulkhead 71. Propeller 93 is mounted on the end of a shaft 95 which is suspended from the top of cylinder wall 61 by means of straps 96 and 97. Shaft 95 is rotated b a pulley and belt arrangement 98 which is connected to drive shaft 75 and upon the rotation thereof propeller 93 is rotated.

In operation, when motor 73 is energized, pulley and belt arrangement 76 which is connected thereto turns shaft 75 and shaft 75 in turn rotates propeller 93 and perforated drum 82. Propeller 93 pulls the exhaust gas in through passageway 65 into first compartment 69 where it flows around solid wall 83 of drum 82 toward the periphery thereof and then through the perforations of drum 82 into the interior thereof. The liquid clinging to drum 82 and residing in the perforations thereof absorbs the harmful particles which are carried in suspension by the incoming exhaust gases. This layer of liquid is removed therefrom by the coacting wiper blades 92 and 93 thereby allowing a fresh layer of liquid to come in contact with and wet rotating drum 82. Since drum 82 is eccentrically mounted in first chamber 69 of housing 66, the lower portions thereof are adjacent the lower portions of the wall of cylindrical housing wall 61. By bringing portions of drum wall 82 from a position away from housing wall 61 into a position of close proximity, liquid 86 is forced up through the perforations when the wall of drum 82 is substantially adjacent housing wall 61 thereby replacing the liquid which may be trapped in the perforations with fresh liquid. The exhaust gases are then forced out of drum 82 through the perforations in rear wall 85 and into second chamber 70 through opening 94 in bulkhead 71. Since bulkhead 71 is positioned adjacent rear wall 85, all gases entering second chamber 70 must pass through opening 94. From second chamber 70, the exhaust gases pass through exhaust port 66 and into an exhaust pipe (not shown) which conveys the gases to the atmosphere.

First compartment 42 may be filled with liquid 37 by removing plug 58 which is threadably .mounted in front wall 12 and liquid 37 may be removed therefrom by removing plug 39. In like manner, liquid 86 may be added or Withdrawn from first compartment 69 by respectively removing plugs and 106 which are threadably mounted in cylindrical housing 60. If liquid escapes into second compartment 70, it may be drained therefrom by removing plug 107.

This invention is also adaptable to filter gases which are confined in the crank case of an automobile (not shown). By connecting pipe 59 which is an integral ex tension of inlet port 14 or 64 with the crank case, the gases contained therein may be filtered in the same manner as the exhaust gases are filtered.

Many different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments shown and described therein, except as defined in the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In combination with an exhaust pipe for expelling exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine into the atmosphere, an exhaust filter muffler comprising:

(a) an elongated cylindrical housing having an inlet end joined to said exhaust pipe for delivering exhaust gases into said housing and an outlet end disposed from said inlet end and connected to said exhaust pipe for conveying said exhaust gases from said housing to said atmosphere;

(b) partition means mounted in said housing and effective to divide said housing into a first chamher being partially defined by said inlet end and into a second chamber being partially defined by said outlet end, said partition means having an opening for allowing said exhaust gases to pass from said first chamber to said second chamber;

(c) bafiie plate means perpendicularly mounted in the lower portions of said housing between said partition means and said inlet end, said baffle plate means effective to divide said first chamber into a first compartment being partially defined by said baffle plate means and said inlet end and a second compartment being partially defined by said partition means and said bafide plate means;

(d) a liquid partially filling said first compartment;

(e) a shaft rotatably mounted in said inlet and said outlet ends and having a common axis with said cylindrical housing;

(f) a plurality of perforated discs perpendicularly and rigidly mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith on said shaft to extend in said first and second compartments of said first chamber with the selected ones of said discs associated with said first compartrnent being partially submerged in said liquid, said discs having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said cylindrical housing;

(g) a propeller securely mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith in said second chamber, said propeller being substantially adjacent said partition means whereby upon the rotation of said propeller a pressure differential between said first and second chambers is created which causes said gases to flow through said housing; and

(h) a motor securely mounted in said second chamber and adapted to drive said shaft upon the energization thereof whereby the lower portions of said perforated discs are continuously bathed in said liquid while the wetted upper portions thereof are in continuous association with said incoming exhaust gases.

2. The exhaust filter mufller of claim 1 wherein said References Cited partition means, said baffle plate means and said inlet UNITED STATES PATENTS end are connected With a flat plate which is substantially adjacent to and parallel With the surface of said 1345131 6/1920 cieworth 55232 X liquid; said flat plate is provided with laterally extend- 5 6145 6/1957 55 232 ing slots which are adapted to receive said rotating discs. 2'922'489 1/1960 Ho'lhngsworth 55 232 X 3. The exhaust filter muflier of claim 2 wherein said 107L449 1/1963 Shustack' flat plate is provided with a plurality of pairs of wiper FOREIGN PATENTS blades mounted thereon in alignment with said slots, each 1,491 1902 Grfiat Britain Of said pair Of Wiper blades being positioned t0 pinch 10 3 0 7 4 9 1932 Great Britain a respective perforated disc to remove said liquid clinging thereto. RALPH D. BLAKESLEE, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH AN EXHAUST PIPE FOR EXPELLING EXHAUST GASES FORM AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE, AND EXHAUST FILTER MUFFLER COMPRISING (A) AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL HOUSING HAVING AN INLET END JOINED TO SAID EXHAUST PIPE FOR DELIVERING EXHAUST GASES INTO SAID HOUSING AND AN OUTLET END DISPOSED FROM SAID INLET END AND CONNECTED TO SAID EXHAUST PIPE FOR CONVEYING SAID EXHAUST GASES FROM SAID HOUSING TO SAID ATMOSPHERE. (B) PARTITION MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING AND EFFECTIVE TO DIVIDE SAID HOUSING INTO A FIRST CHAMBER BEING PARTIALLY DEFINED BY SAID INLET END AND INTO A SECOND CHAMBER BEING PARTIALLY DEFINED BY SAID OUTLET END, SAID PARTITION MEANS HAVING AN OPENING FOR ALLOWING SAID EXHAUSE GASES TO PASS FROM SAID FIRST CHAMBER TO SAID SECOND CHAMBER; (C) BAFFLE PLATE MEANS PERPENDICULARLY MOUNTED IN THE LOWER PORTIONS OF EACH HOUSING BETWEEN SAID PARTITION MEANS AND SAID HOUSING BETWEEN PLATE MEANS EFFECTIVE TO DIVIDE SAID FIRST CHAMBER INTO A FIRST COMPARTMENT BEING PARTIALLY DIFINED BY SAID BAFFLE PLATE MEANS AND SAID INLET END AND A SECOND COMPARTMENT BEING PARTIALLY DEFINED BY SAID PARTITION MEANS AND SAID BAFFLE PLATE MEANS; (D) A LIQUID PARTIALLY FILLING SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT; (E) A SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID INLET AND SAID OUTLET ENDS AND HAVING A COMMON AXIS WITH SAID CYLINDRICAL HOUSING; (F) A PLURALITY OF PERFORATED DISCS PERPENDICULARY AND RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH ON SAID SHAFT TO EXTEND IN SAID FIRST AND SECOND COMPARTMENTS OF SAID FIRST CHAMBER WITH THE SELECTED ONES OF SAID DISCS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT BEING PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN SAID LIQUID, SAID DISCS HAVING A DIAMETER SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE DIAMETER OF SAID CYLINDRICAL HOUSING; (G) A PROPELLER SECURELY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH IN SAID SECOND CHAMBER, SAID PROPELLER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY ADJACENT SAID PARTITION MEANS WHEREBY UPON THE ROTATION OF SAID PROPELLER A PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND CHAMBERS IS CREATED WHICH CAUSES SAID GASES TO FLOW THROUGH SAID HOUSING; AND (H) A MOTOR SECURELY MOUNTED IN SAID SECOND CHAMBER AND ADAPTED TO DRIVE SAID SHAFT UPON THE ENERGIZATION THEREOF WHEREBY THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID PERFORATED DISCS ARE CONTINOUSLY BATHED IN SAID LIQUID WHILE THE WETTED UPPER PORTIONS THEREOF ARE IN CONTINUOUS ASSOCIATION WITH SAID INCOMING EXHAUST GASES. 